


Letting You

by orkarinte



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Female Hades - Freeform, Genderfluid Character, Hades needs to get laid, Lesbian Sex, Light Angst, Male Hades at the beginning, Not Beta Read, POV Lesbian Character, Porn With Plot, Rarepair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:27:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22687720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orkarinte/pseuds/orkarinte
Summary: When Kassandra learns Hades' secret, that is only the beginning of her problems.
Relationships: Hades/Kassandra (Assassin's Creed)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 71





	Letting You

**Author's Note:**

> So I just finished Torment of Hades a few weeks ago and noticed the severe lack of Hades fanfiction. It made me— _ahem_ —Very. Angry. Then this story happened. 
> 
> Also genderfluid Hades because why not.
> 
> Note: I still haven't finished all the DLC so there might be some inaccuracies.

For what should have been a straightforward task, Kassandra’s journey to the Afterlife was turning out to be far more work than she originally anticipated. It shouldn’t have surprised her that things quickly became complicated whenever it concerned the gods.

Persephone and Hekate had been bad enough. But now that she was outside of Elysium, she was beginning to learn they paled in comparison to the ruler of the Underworld.

She recalled her first meeting with Hades. The god had been angered by the death of Cerberos, as if she were the sole cause of all the troubles in his realm. He had demanded she find him four new Guardians to make up for the chaos she unwittingly unleashed. 

“I didn’t plan on killing him—your wife was the one who kicked me down that pit!” Kassandra had pointed out, her temper already short from everything she had dealt with in Elysium. She’d had enough of the gods trying to use her for their own ends, and being obstinate for no good reason other than to make everyone's lives, including their own, more difficult. “Why do the gods never make things simple?”

“Do not presume I am the same as dear Persephone,” Hades replied, and though his tone was soft, his eyes seared into hers like the heat of the sun, without any of its warmth. He stepped closer, walking in a partial circle around Kassandra as she firmly held his gaze. Gradually, his gaze cooled as he scrutinized her. No longer showing anger or irritation—but perhaps something worse.

Interest.

“It has been a long time since a living mortal ventured into my realm. It must take a remarkably strong woman indeed to make their way here and defeat Cerberos without so much as batting an eye. And by the sight of you, you are remarkable.”

Kassandra felt an uncomfortable shiver down her spine at the thought of the god of the Underworld admiring her in any way, even fleetingly. Considering Persephone’s imprisonment here, it was not a good idea to attract Hades’ interest. And though he was understandably upset about Cerberos, it seemed like a part of him was glad for Kassandra’s appearance—if for nothing else, as something new and interesting to break the tedium of existence in this bleak realm. 

“If you’re implying what I think you are, let me save you the trouble. You’re not my type.” 

Hades only gave her a cryptic smile, then ignored her. “Well, since you seem capable enough, judging from my dog’s death, why don’t you put yourself to use? Find me the Guardians and help my ferryman Charon with a few tasks, then perhaps I will consider helping you with your staff.”

Kassandra was tired of doing the gods’ biddings, but as a _misthios_ , she was used to such requests, and held back her protest. And although she didn't trust making a deal with Hades, she unfortunately had little choice other than to accept his offer.

“If that’s what it takes.”

Little did she know just how complicated things would soon get.

—

Kassandra felt good so far about the progress she was making in the Underworld. She had found the first two pieces of Isu-forged armor required to pass through the Tartaros Veil, and while she had yet to locate all the fallen heroes for Hades’ gates, she had already sent the gorgon slayer Perseus to guard the first. In the meantime, before her hunt for the next Guardian, she was helping Charon assist one of his lost souls.

That was how she found herself in the Elysium Breach within the Scorched Lands, looking for a rare flower to help a plague-stricken woman. She was about to pick the small, lone Asphodel flower she had spotted growing in a patch of green when she heard a voice speak up a short distance behind her. 

“May I ask what you’re doing?” 

Kassandra stopped in her tracks, hand automatically going to her hilt. She slowly turned around to see a dark-haired woman clothed in simple grey robes. At first glance she seemed to be just another lost soul, but unlike most of the people Kassandra came across in this realm, she did not appear frightened or lost, and watched Kassandra with calm, curious eyes. 

“I’m admiring the beauty of this place,” Kassandra lied, relaxing her hold on her hilt. “Who are you?”

“Just another unfortunate soul, I’m afraid, with nothing but an eternity of this place to look forward to.” The woman’s voice was cool, but pleasant, like icicles glinting in the sun. Kassandra found herself wishing to hear more of it. She stepped closer to Kassandra, lips turning up into a tentative smile. “And you must be the woman everyone’s been talking about. Kassandra the Eagle Bearer.” 

“Unless there’s some other living mortal with that name running around here,” Kassandra replied, taking the opportunity to study the stranger before her. There was an intensity in the woman’s eyes that contrasted with her apparent composure, as if a well of emotion lay hidden beneath her calm exterior. 

Kassandra wasn’t the only one doing the examining—the way the woman’s eyes slid over her armor-clad body, seeming to savor every detail before deliberately meeting her gaze again made Kassandra realize she wasn’t the only one interested in the woman in front of her.

The woman’s eyes darted to the ground behind Kassandra’s feet. “It looked like you were going to pick that flower. Why destroy a beauty so rare here?”

“It’s to help a lost soul. She’s been tormented for too long, and deserves peace.”

The woman considered Kassandra a moment. “If there were a thousand flowers like it, that still wouldn’t be enough to help everyone who needs it here. Strange to think you would destroy it just for one person.”

“If I could lessen the pain of any one life for an eternity, I would do so,” Kassandra reasoned. True, Charon had also specifically asked her to save the sick woman, but she didn’t tell the stranger that part.

“Then would you help me, Kassandra?”

Kassandra frowned, feeling her heart skip a beat at her words. Why did she feel so nervous in front of this woman? It wasn’t just her attraction to her, was it? “Help you? In what way? You do not seem lost like the other souls here.” 

The woman stepped closer to Kassandra, smoothly holding her gaze. “I enjoy the beauty of this place. It would bring me pain to see it diminished. Spare the flower. Find some other way to help that woman.”

“I’m afraid it’s the only option I have.”

“Then…” A hand brushed over Kassandra’s wrist, lightly trailing up to rest on her arm, just below her shoulder armor. Oddly, the woman’s hand was not cold, and Kassandra realized she didn’t have the typical scorch-marks on her skin that most of the other dead had. “...Perhaps you could show me beauty in another way? It has been so long since I’ve been intimate with anyone.” The woman leaned in toward Kassandra, gazing up at her. She exhaled, and Kassandra felt the breath on her skin as the woman’s eyes fell to Kassandra’s mouth, her intentions clear. “So long since I’ve even…”

The woman hesitated just a fraction away from Kassandra’s lips. 

Kassandra felt herself succumbing to the pleasant wave of desire the woman had sparked in her, and against her better judgment, she soon gave in, pressing her lips to the woman’s in a slow, tentative kiss. 

The woman’s body was warm—hot, even, not at all what Kassandra expected. She sighed into Kassandra’s kiss, hands finding their way around her back and pulling her closer, desperate, as if eager to claim Kassandra’s warmth as her own.

Kassandra soon forced herself to break away. Although she could not deny her attraction to the woman, she found herself unsettled at the same time by just how familiar the woman seemed. 

“I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”

The woman frowned, a flash of irritation crossing her expression. “Why not?”

“You don’t really need my help," Kassandra argued, knowing her instincts were rarely wrong. “You aren’t a lost soul. Hades sent you, didn’t he? He’s trying to prevent me from completing my tasks so he won’t have to keep his side of the bargain.” She had feared the cunning god would give her trouble somehow since he didn’t seem very keen on sharing what he knew about the staff when he made the offer to her. 

But as soon as she said the words aloud, she realized she didn’t have things exactly right. The woman’s mouth curved upward, her eyes dancing with hidden amusement. It was impossible not to see the resemblance to a certain god after that. “I’m afraid you’re mistaken.”

Kassandra froze. “Hades didn’t send you,” she said, looking in horror at the supposed woman before her. “You _are_ Hades!”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t notice so quickly.” Hades let out a sigh, disappointment touching her features. “It seems I’ve found the one hero around here who doesn’t have the good fortune to be blessed with thick-headedness.”

Kassandra tightened her jaw, motioning toward Hades’ still very female body with her hand. “You better tell me what the hell is going on here.” 

Was she seeing things, or did Hades look taller? She craned her neck up a little to meet her gaze. Yes, definitely taller now.

Hades peered down at her, her eyes glinting crimson in the tepid sunlight. “Oh, I’m looking forward to it, Kassandra. But unless I can convince you not to pick that flower, we will have to save that conversation for later. Otherwise I will find my anger very difficult to restrain.”

“I’m doing this to help Charon. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

Hades' gaze fell back to the lone Asphodel flower, her voice turning deceptively soft. “Not in this case.”

Kassandra didn’t let Hades’ tone affect her. “The woman needs it more than you.” If her words didn’t, Kassandra’s unyielding stare told Hades everything.

Hades narrowed her eyes. “Fine. Have it your way.”

The god vanished before Kassandra could say another word. 

Kassandra released a breath of air she realized she had been holding, and let her shoulders relax a little, though her body was still tense. She lifted a hand, absently touching her lips.

She had angered Hades twice now. Hopefully her fate would not be worse than what Persephone had done to her by throwing her in the pit with Cerberos. But as she remembered the feeling of their kiss, she feared that would be the least of her worries.

—

It was some time before Kassandra saw Hades again, though she had a distinct feeling the god had been keeping a close eye on her. 

Kassandra had just finished helping Charon uncover the identity of a thief stealing coins from the other dead when Hades had appeared beside them to decide the proper punishment. 

Unlike the last time Kassandra had seen her in the Elysium Breach, Hades was clothed in armor more befitting of her title as a god—or goddess—not so different from what she wore as a male when they had first met. Her Isu marks were also visible in swirling patterns over her skin now that she was not disguising her appearance anymore. 

Hades did not remain long, barely giving Kassandra a second glance during their interaction, so Kassandra assumed the god was still upset with her. Interestingly, Kassandra noticed that Charon did not seem to bat an eye at Hades, so after the god left, Kassandra found herself unable to resist asking the ferryman’s opinion on the matter. 

“Has Hades always been able to change like that?”

“Hm?” Charon furrowed his brow, before seeming to realize what she meant. “Oh, that. I suppose it’s been a while since I’ve seen this side of Hades. What of it?”

Evidently it wasn’t something Charon felt was out of the ordinary. But Kassandra pressed on, still curious. “When was the last time it happened?”

“I don’t know, Keeper,” Charon said absently, distracted for a moment as he ushered more souls toward his boat. “I have little time to keep track of such trivial details. Why not ask her yourself?”

“I think she might still be upset with me for picking that flower.”

A sudden hearty laugh escaped Charon, startling Kassandra. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that, Eagle Bearer,” he said warmly, and Kassandra found herself reassured a little by his easy tone. “If Hades can pardon you for what you did to Cerberos, I think she can forgive you for a little flower, no? She’ll come around.”

—

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Charon’s words proved themselves right.

She felt Hades’ presence before she saw her. 

Kassandra had just left the banks of the Styx, and was heading up a large rocky outcrop when she paused at a fork in the road, debating which way to take next. That was when she turned to see the god behind her. 

Hades was still clothed in the armor she had been wearing earlier. Curiously, though, she had foregone her helmet. 

“Kassandra,” Hades greeted her. 

Kassandra frowned, eyeing Hades with caution. “What do you want, Hades?” 

“I meant to speak with you earlier by the river, but I had to make sure the merchant got his proper punishment.”

Kassandra tried not to think about what that punishment entailed, even if the merchant deserved it. “Aren’t you still mad at me about me helping that lost soul?”

Hades laughed softly, her eyes shining in light amusement. “Contrary to what you may think, Kassandra, I am not one to hold grudges. A mortal might not understand, but it becomes tiresome to keep track of them all when you live as long as I do.” She paused, giving her an assessing look. “That is, unless you truly anger me. But then you would not be here if that were the case.”

“Fair enough.” Kassandra cleared her throat. “So, are you going to explain what...” she motioned to Hades’ body, “this is?”

Hades raised an eyebrow. “What _what_ is?” She watched Kassandra, a subtle smile on her face as she waited for an answer.

Was Hades really going to make her say it? 

“You’re still a woman.”

Hades folded her arms. “I’m still Hades.”

Kassandra wasn’t sure what kind of game Hades was playing at yet, but she could guess.

"You think just because you change your form, that I’ll suddenly be attracted to you? This doesn’t change anything, Hades,” Kassandra said, even though she knew it was a lie. Even now, she had to keep her gaze from wandering places that made her body heat to think of what was underneath. She couldn’t help her eyes as they lingered just below Hades’ waist armor, wondering just how far up those Isu markings went up her legs. 

Hades moved closer to Kassandra, gesturing lazily at her body with the wave of an arm. “Why do you assume this isn’t my preferred form?"

Kassandra frowned. “If that’s true, then why were you a man when I first met you? Why has everyone up until now referred to you as a he?”

Hades drifted a little ways past Kassandra, before stopping at a ledge overlooking the Mourning Fields below. With the god’s back toward her, Kassandra could not see what might be written in her expression. “Habit, perhaps?” 

Kassandra crossed her arms. “Habit,” she repeated, unimpressed. 

Hades did not seem to notice her skepticism. She raised her hands to inspect them, going silent. When she finally spoke, her tone was pensive. “It wasn’t always that way, Keeper. But when I met Persephone, things changed. I thought if I kept the form of a male, she would desire me more. I’ve done it for so long now, even the gods have probably forgotten it isn’t my only form.” Hades dropped her hands, then turned toward Kassandra, shaking her head with a sad smile. “Who knows how long it’s really been. The way time flies when it doesn’t matter.” 

Kassandra went over to stand beside Hades, taking in the desolate expanse below them. “So you were a goddess, originally?”

Hades gave her an inscrutable look, before returning her gaze to the valley. “Both, you could say. Or neither,” she said with a slight shrug. “Sometimes I enjoy one form, sometimes the other. Most of the time I have no preference. But being in this body again has made me realize just how much I missed this side of myself.” Hades sent her a sidelong glance, her lips turning up a little. “I still prefer to be called a god, though. I like the neutrality of it.”

Hades continued. “Obviously, Persephone and I have grown apart since then…” She turned her head, and Kassandra noticed belatedly that Hades had eased closer to her. Her large olive-toned hand brushed gently across her cheek. The unexpected contact was so inviting that Kassandra leaned into her touch a little—

_Shit, shit, shit._

“I used to see such light in her eyes.” Hades trailed her other hand down Kassandra’s arm, fingers grazing her skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. “Now that light is as rare to see as that last Asphodel flower you picked. But you, Kassandra. You have not yet lost that spark of warmth. That light of life.” Hades drew closer to Kassandra, her breath hitting her skin, warming her lips. “I crave it.”

Kassandra resisted Hades’ advances, drawing away. “If you no longer love Persephone, why hold her here as a prisoner? You’re only driving her mad. What purpose does that serve?”

Hades scowled, looking as if she regretted bringing Persephone into the conversation. “It does not matter about love or madness. She has consumed food from my realm, and that has sealed her fate among the dead.”

“Surely there can’t be some other way?”

“I’d rather not speak of this right now, Keeper.” Hades reached out her arm again, but Kassandra remained steadfast, stopping Hades with her hand and holding it in place with a strong grip. Hades watched her intently, her eyes growing brighter. 

“You know, if you didn’t try to hold the people you love so close to yourself, maybe they wouldn’t want to leave you so much.” She slowly guided Hades’ hand away from her, then let go.

Hades held her hand frozen stiffly at her side. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, her eyes had lost their fire. When Kassandra saw Hades’ rueful expression, she almost regretted the words she had said. “I’m afraid they would want to leave this place no matter what, my dear Keeper. But you are right. Though she is a prisoner here, Persephone left me long ago.”

Kassandra decided to take a chance while Hades was in an honest mood, even though a part of her wondered if the offer she was making was the right choice. “If you find a way to help Persephone, maybe I will reconsider… whatever this is.” 

Hades stilled, her eyes glinting with something. “You think you can dictate to the gods now?” she warned, though her voice did not have any strong sharpness to it.

“Feels different when you’re on the receiving end, doesn’t it?”

Hades held her gaze a moment longer, before stepping back. Despite her apparent displeasure at Kassandra’s words, the corner of her mouth turned up into an tentative smile, as if she had just realized something. “Perhaps I was wrong about you, Kassandra.”

Before Kassandra could ask Hades to clarify what she meant, she was gone.

—

When Kassandra saw Hades next, it happened to be at the most inopportune time. 

She was in the middle of fighting one of the Cultists to acquire a new piece of the Armor of the Fallen. As she dove from one of Deianeira’s swords, she realized they were not alone. She turned to see Hades standing a few paces away, watching them. 

“I have some news, Kassandra,” Hades told her as she stepped toward her, effortlessly dodging an explosive attack meant for Kassandra.

“Can’t this wait?” 

“It won’t take long, I promise,” Hades said. She reached out her hand to Kassandra, and soon as she touched her wrist, Deianeira and the Altars of the Titans disappeared. 

It took a moment for Kassandra to fully take in her new surroundings. She realized Hades had transported them back to her palace, in a room she had never been in before. A large pool was at its center. The tiles were red, she noticed, giving the water an eerie crimson glow.

She turned to Hades, crossing her arms and pretending not to be startled at being suddenly brought here. “Do you want me to find the rest of the Fallen Guardians, or not?”

Hades didn’t seem to hear her. “It is done, Kassandra.”

“What?” Kassandra’s eyes widened in disbelief. “When? How?” she asked.

She watched Hades glide absently over to the center of the room where the pool was.

“I thought you should know as soon as I returned,” Hades explained, looking down at the water. “As for how… There is one good thing about Cerberos being gone. Without his presence, it made what happened go much more smoothly.”

Kassandra stepped closer to Hades. “What are you saying? Persephone is really free?” She wondered for a moment if Hades had used her male form to speak to Persephone. The small, jealous part of herself that sometimes reared its head hoped that Hades hadn't.

“In as much as she can be, yes.”

Hades back was facing toward her. Kassandra watched in astonishment as Hades’ armor seemed to shimmer for a moment, and then fade away completely. Her mouth fell open at Hades’ naked form, feeling a visceral rush at the sight of her. 

Kassandra tore her gaze away after a minute, willing her heart rate to steady, and failing miserably. She tried to compose herself by focusing on Hades’ words. “Uh… What’s that supposed to mean?”

Hades slowly descended into the pool, letting out a relaxed sigh as she appeared to adjust to the temperature of the water.

“We made a compromise. She is still tied to the Afterlife—that is unavoidable, I’m afraid. However, she can leave for the majority of each year to visit her mother, spending only a third of her time here every cycle,” Hades said, and there was a lightness in the god’s eyes that made Kassandra think Hades was secretly relieved to have finally gone through with it. “If Cerberos were here, I doubt he would have let her leave so easily. In the end, I think he was more attached to Persephone than I was.”

Hades floated onto her back in the water, Isu marks swirling over her body as she idly kicked her feet. 

Kassandra swallowed, watching her every movement. “I admit, I didn’t think you would actually go through with it, Hades,” she said, impressed, but still holding onto some caution. “If you’re really telling the truth, that is.”

Hades focused an eye on Kassandra. “I may have a tendency to mislead with my words at times, but I wouldn’t lie to you about this, Kassandra,” she said, her voice softening at her name. 

Kassandra tried to ignore the way it made her heart feel tighter in her chest and allowed herself to trust the god’s words for once. "Then you did the right thing."

Hades hummed a little, but otherwise didn’t answer, continuing to float across the surface of the water, seeming completely at ease. Kassandra half expected Hades to invite her in the pool with her, but she did no such thing. She didn’t even seem to acknowledge her presence. 

It was only when Kassandra cleared her throat that Hades finally glanced up at her.

“Forgive me, Keeper. I’ve interrupted you long enough. I’ll let you get back to your task.”

Hades was teasing her, and enjoying it. 

“W-wait—!”

But Hades had already flicked her wrist, sending her back to the Altars.

“Ah, there you are!” Came the brazen voice of Deianeira. “Coward! Come here and fight like a warrior!”

Damn it. 

Kassandra readied her weapon, resenting being thrust back into combat so soon after a meeting like that.

—

Hades seemed to be developing a knack for interrupting her at the worst times. 

Kassandra was in the Hall of Maniai, about to enter the last section of the cave to find Achilles and gain a new insight to her staff when she noticed Hades leaning against a pillar by the opening, arms crossed, as if she had been waiting there the entire time. 

“Hades? What are you doing here?” 

Hades smiled in her own cryptic way. “Just checking on your progress, Kassandra.”

“As you can see, I am about to recruit another Guardian for your gates now that I have the armor to pass through the Veil.”

Hades unfolded her arms, taking a step closer to Kassandra, catching her eyes with a hungry look. “Perhaps you could use a break from brawling with hot-headed heroes, for a more… pleasurable activity?”

Curse the gods—or god, in this case. Why now? Kassandra raised her eyes to the ceiling, mustering her resolve. “I got this far. I may as well finish what I started now that I’m here. ”

Hades reached out her hand, lifting Kassandra’s chin to meet her gaze. “Are you forgetting what we started? The promise you made?”

Kassandra felt her voice go weaker at Hades’ touch as a thumb grazed her lip. “I said… I said I would consider it.” She had made sure to choose her words carefully when she made the offer to Hades. Still, she hadn’t actually thought Hades would follow through and let Persephone go.

Hades studied her, her gaze feeling strangely intimate. “Your desire is written plain on your face. Why deny this?”

“Because.” She stepped back. “How do I know this isn’t all just some game to you? You’re Hades, after all. I bet you have some ulterior motive.”

“Everyone always has a motive. That doesn’t make it wrong.” Hades lifted her hand again, letting it brush against Kassandra’s cheek. She leaned in, placing a soft kiss at the corner of Kassandra’s lips. “You wouldn’t humor a lonely god?”

When Hades withdrew, Kassandra realized they were at her palace again. This time, Hades had transported them to a secluded bedchamber. Soft black spires rose from each corner of the bed that was the main focal point of the slate grey room. 

When Kassandra still hesitated, Hades sighed with a look of weakening patience. “Fine, then. If you won’t indulge me, I suppose I’ll have to please myself.”

Kassandra watched in horror as Hades climbed onto the bed, slowly laying on her back. She parted her legs, a hand trailing over her waistband, then under, until she closed her eyes with a soft gasp.

If Kassandra did not stop staring soon, she was going to regret what she did next. 

After what felt like an eternity—which, maybe it had been, who knew how time really passed here—Kassandra finally pulled her gaze away and rushed out of the room, not knowing where she was going, just knowing she had to get away.

She didn’t get far across the courtyard when Hades appeared at her side again, her face unreadable, looking as if she hadn’t just been shamelessly pleasing herself a moment ago.

“Forgive me. I went too far.” Hades didn’t meet Kassandra’s eyes. “It’s been a long time since I’ve tried to woo anybody. A long time since I’ve felt this… impatient.” She glanced over at Kassandra, a corner of her mouth turning cautiously up. “Now who’s the thick-headed one?”

Kassandra stopped. She took in the sight of Hades before her. 

Maybe Hades was right. Why should she deny this, when it was what they both wanted? When it was something they could both only have for a little while longer?

The truth was, she had been just seconds away from joining Hades, and that realization had frightened her. It was bad enough having feelings for a god, let alone the god of the Underworld. It scared her just how much Hades’ had eased her way in close in such a short amount of time. It scared her just how much she wanted this.

As she looked at Hades, for the first time, Kassandra also saw the uncertainty Hades was trying to conceal. The side that knew Kassandra wasn’t going to stay here forever, and the more progress she made, the less time they would have together. 

Slowly, Kassandra let out a breath of air she had been holding in, letting her tough exterior soften. “If we do this, let this be for ourselves only. No ulterior motives. I won’t use this to ask for any information on the staff, you won’t chain me here forever like one of your toys.”

For a second, Kassandra saw something flicker in Hades’ eyes. As if she had the very idea of doing just that. But it passed, and she nodded. “Fine.”

They gazed at each other for a long, heavy moment. Finally, Kassandra moved closer, tugging Hades’ face gently down to her level so she could do something she had been wanting to repeat since the first time in Elysium Breach.

The first press of their lips together was soft and slow like their last kiss had been. Soon, though, it grew into more. Hades pressed closer, her warm hands grasping Kassandra’s sides and roaming over her back, trying to touch any part of her not contained by her armor as she gently bit Kassandra’s bottom lip, seeking entrance. 

As their kiss deepened, Kassandra gradually lost sense of their surroundings. Then, before she knew it, they were in the bedchamber again.

Somehow Hades had also changed their position, and Kassandra now sat on the edge of the bed with Hades’ straddling her lap. The god also seemed to have sized herself to down to fit over Kassandra's body more nicely.

Kassandra froze as she took in their new position.

“Too far?” Hades questioned, a flicker of doubt in her eyes as she echoed her earlier words. 

But Kassandra was used to surprises at any moment, and recovered quickly. Instead of answering Hades, she sought Hades’ neck with her mouth, provoking a soft moan from Hades as Kassandra’s hand slid down her torso. A torso which, like her own, was inconveniently covered with armor.

Kassandra broke away, looking at Hades. “Actually, I don’t think you went far enough,” she hinted, knowing Hades’ powers included more than just teleportation.

Hades slightly rolled her eyes, then flicked her hand, and in a few seconds she and Kassandra were both properly undressed. “Is that better?”

“Much.” 

Kassandra couldn’t get enough of touching her, her hands eagerly finding every curve of Hades' body. Hades hissed in pleasure at her touch, leaving Kassandra’s own skin tingling as Hades greedily searched her own body in turn.

Eventually, Kassandra grasped Hades by her waist and flipped her onto her back on the center of the bed. She settled over Hades, trailing kisses down her body, feeling the god’s skin burning with feverish desire for her.

Her fingers played at Hades’ entrance, already wet with arousal, and Kassandra’s own body reacted to the sight. She slid a finger inside, curling it gently for a few moments, before adding another finger.

Kassanda had learned a trick or two over the years on how to please women, so she knew she could get more of a response than the soft gasp from Hades at her touch. After a few minutes of gently teasing with her fingers, she brought her mouth to her clit, giving a few tentative licks, before setting on a steadier pace. 

It took her longer than she thought it would, but when she finally heard Hades let out a choked cry, digging her hand roughly into Kassandras hair, she knew she still hadn’t lost her touch. Kassandra pulled her head back a little to look at Hades, trying to hide a pleased grin. 

“So, what names do the gods cry out in times of passion?” asked Kassandra with a playful glint in her eye. 

Hades’ eyes opened slightly from their half-lidded state, dazed for a moment. Kassandra wondered for a second if she was even coherent enough to properly answer, but then the god’s eyes narrowed, her mouth forming into a smirk. “The ones we hold captive, perhaps?” At Kassandra’s warning look, Hades added, “Only a joke, Eagle Bearer.”

As it turned out, Hades did not cry out many words at all, though the sounds she did make were more than enough to satisfy Kassandra. When she finally seemed close to release, Hades held out her hand, stopping Kassandra, “Wait—” her voice sounded strained. “I have something I wanted to try.” 

Kassandra gave Hades a curious look as the god stood from the bed. She glided quickly to the other side of the room, carefully grabbing something from a drawer, before bringing it back.

Kassandra’s eyes widened when she realized what it was. "You want to use that on me?'

Hades’ warm laugh made her ears heat. "No, Kassandra. I want you to wear it, not me."

In her hands, secured to a leather harness was a large obsidian phallus. Kassandra swallowed at the sight, feeling a sudden, uncontrollable rush of arousal when she imagined sliding the obscenely-sized cock into Hades again and again and hearing her desperate cries. 

“I’ve never used something like this before…”

“All the more reason to try it. Here, let me help you.” 

After a few awkward moments of getting the harness on and adjusted on her body, Kassandra settled back down over Hades. The god looked expectantly up at her, then, without breaking her gaze, grabbed the phallus with one hand, gently guiding it to her entrance. When Kassandra placed her own hand on it to further direct it, Hades’ hand slipped away. She let out a soft gasp as Kassandra traced around her clit with the cool tip.

After a few moments of circling her entrance, she slid it inside, a little ways at first, then slowly further in each time until at last she was fully sheathed inside her. Hades made a sound, closing her eyes and digging her fingers into Kassandra’s back.

Hades reaction made Kassandra pause. She stayed frozen there a moment, and was about to ask if she had hurt Hades somehow, when the god’s eyes opened again, looking impatiently at her, gaze clouded with lust.

“What are you doing? Don’t stop now.”

“I’m not hurting you?”

Wrapping a hand around the back of her neck, Hades tugged Kassandra toward her, pulling her in for a deep, heady kiss, her legs wrapping around Kassandra’s back and pressing her body closer to her own. After another moment, Hades broke their kiss, her gaze dark carnelian. “I assure you, you don’t have to worry about that with me.”

Though it took her a minute for her body to find the right movements, Kassandra eventually settled in to something that worked and found a good rhythm. She realized that if she thrust a certain way, the strap running underneath would also stimulate herself as she moved, giving her some pleasure.

Hades’ hips rocked relentlessly toward her, meeting each of Kassandra’s thrusts, and before long the tension built in Kassandra until she felt her body reach its limit. She had not expected to reach it so quickly with such a small amount of stimulation from the harness, but just the sight of Hades seemed to have aroused her beyond measure. She slowed a little, but kept on thrusting through her release, even though by now her body was getting tired. From the way Hades’ looked underneath her, Kassandra knew she had to be getting close. To help her along, she reached one of her hands down, using her fingers as in tandem with the steady thrusts of her make-shift cock to bring the god closer to release.

Hades let out an unrestrained moan, her eyes squeezing shut in pleasure as Kassandra adjusted her angle and increased her pace. Choked gasps followed each of Kassandra’s forceful thrusts, tension building as several more broken cries escaped. A few minutes later Hades finally succumbed, nails digging into Kassandra’s back as she rubbed her throughout her release.

Finally, when Hades had slumped down on the bed, Kassandra withdrew, managing to slide out of the harness before collapsing at her side.

 _Gods_ , that was more work than any battle she’d ever been in. Hades fortitude was remarkable, and it made Kassandra wonder if it had to do something with what Hades was.

After Kassandra caught her breath, she shifted to her side, propping her head on her elbow, watching Hades for a moment, who still lay next her in contented silence.

“With the way you’ve been throwing yourself at me since I arrived here, I didn’t think it would take so long to bring you to release.”

Hades turned her head where it rested on her pillow, meeting Kassandra’s gaze with an almost timid look, before she glanced away. “Actually, that was rather short for me.”

Kassandra shook her head, rolling her eyes good-humoredly. “Of course it was.” 

After a moment, Hades lifted her hand, trailing a finger from Kassandra’s shoulder down her muscled arm. “If you’re up for it, I had a few other things in mind I wanted to try.”

Kassandra laughed, her body aching with tiredness. “Unfortunately, I do not have the stamina of a god when it comes to carnal pleasures. Let us rest for a few moments, then perhaps I’ll be ready for more.”

But she never got that far. She closed her eyes to rest them a minute, then before she knew it, fell into a deep and restful sleep.

She woke to the feeling of a hand stroking her hair, and lifted her head, noticing Hades sitting up on the bed, something akin to affection in her eyes as she looked down at Kassandra. She was wearing a light gown, but it didn’t cover much.

“How long was I asleep?”

Hades hummed softly. “I’m not a timekeeper. But probably almost half a day.”

“Shit,” Kassandra cursed. “Sorry, it’s been a long time since I slept on a real bed.” She started to rise, swinging her legs over the bed and redoing her braid which had come undone during their prior activities, before standing up. 

“Where are you going?”

Kassandra looked around the room, noticing her armor was placed neatly on the floor at the other end of the room, before making her way toward it. “I’ve still got three more Guardians to find before things can be put back in order here.”

“My realm has lasted this long. It can survive a little while longer without them.” 

Kassandra sighed, but sent a longing stare back at the bed that, she admitted, was actually quite comfortable. “I really should get back...” 

Hades’ eyes fell a little, though she did her best to hide her disappointment. Again, Kassandra sensed that uncertainty in Hades, and realized maybe Hades was trapped a little in this world, in her own way. 

She sent one last glance at her armor, then relented, turning back. “I suppose I did promise you another round.”

Hades smirked. “I’ll make sure you don’t regret it.”

Kassandra joined her again on the bed. For a while, they pretended they weren’t delaying the inevitable.

—

From then on, whenever Kassandra completed a task in the Underworld, without fail Hades would appear. It didn't matter if the task was small or large, each time Hades would whisk her away to her bedchamber where they would eagerly explore one another, finding new ways to pleasure each other. Hades’ timing had gotten better at least, and she would wait until after Kassandra was done with her task to seek her. No more interrupting her mid-battle to tease her by swimming naked in pools. 

But eventually the time arrived when Kassandra had no other enemies or tasks to complete. She had tracked down the last of the Fallen Guardians, entering Tartaros to find Herakles. Once she had sent him to guard the Gate of the Strong, she knew she had finished all that was required of her in the Underworld.

It was with a slowness in her step that she approached Hades’ sitting on her throne in the palace courtyard. Hades had not sought her out after her latest fight. Somehow Kassandra knew that was not a good sign. 

“I’ve finished all you’ve asked of me,” Kassandra informed her as Hades’ dogs dragged some poor soul away to Tartaros. “I’ve found the last Guardian, and all of Charon’s lost souls are taken care of,” Kassandra said. Why didn’t she sound as happy about it as she wanted to?

Hades’ expression was cold and distant, not at all like the last time Kassandra had seen her resting contentedly beside her as she caressed Kassandra’s scars with lazy affection. 

“Good,” Hades said, her tone lacking any tenderness.

“So...” Kassandra said with a meaningful stare.

A flicker of annoyance crossed the god’s face, then it was gone—though her words still had a harsh undertone. “So what?”

Kassandra tensed, knowing this conversation would be difficult from the start, dreading where it might go. “You said you'd help with the staff once I—” 

“No.” Hades smiled, giving her a knowing look. It was not the face Kassandra wanted to see. “I said I would consider it.” 

Using Kassandra’s own words against her. _Malaka_. She clenched her jaw, narrowing her eyes at Hades. “What would you do, then? Keep me here forever? Make me a prisoner too?”

Hades rose from her throne, holding Kassandra with an icy stare as she stepped closer, her large scythe glinting in the cool sunlight. “I neglected to tell you there is one more gate. I was planning on making you the final Guardian.”

The last bit of hope Kassandra had that Hades’ might somehow keep her promise died at those words. “So this was your plan all along. To use me as another toy for your entertainment. I should have known.”

As Hades slowly neared, Kassandra braced herself for an attack. When the god was right in front of her, she stopped, towering above Kassandra. Her eyes burned into hers as she held her scythe close to Kassandra’s neck. After a tense moment, Hades finally spoke. "You didn’t let me finish.” 

Kassandra’s eyes widened slightly as Hades relaxed her hold on her weapon, and she stepped back. 

“My original plan was to make you one of the Guardians. But that plan has changed. I’m not going to keep you here anymore.”

Of all things, those were not the words Kassandra was expecting. “So… what then? You’re letting me go?” 

"Believe me, Kassandra, I would like you to stay here very much. But I’ve learned that lesson the hard way. We both know how that would end.”

“I suppose you were never going to tell me about the staff, then.”

“I do not have the answers you seek about your staff, no. However, I can direct you where you need to go.” Hades intentionally dropped her gaze, as if afraid of what she might do if she looked directly at Kassandra. “It’s best you leave now, before I change my mind.”

Kassandra bit her lip, hesitating. “If it helps, Hades, a part of me wishes I didn’t have to leave you.”

Hades laughed, cold and cynical, but otherwise didn’t answer. Kassandra hated hearing it. She understood why Hades might not believe her, though, even if she was telling the truth. “After all the times we spent together, you think I would lie to you about this?” 

“Any being who finds themselves here, mortal or immortal, wants to leave in the end. You are no different.” 

Kassandra couldn’t hold back what she said next. It was something that had been on her mind since she arrived in the Afterlife, one that only grew with her time spent in the Underworld. “This place… it isn’t what you think. It exists within another world, created by—”

“You still have a lot to learn, Kassandra.” Hades cut her off. “You think because a place is created by another, it isn’t real? Ask yourself this: is your world any different from mine?” Hades shook her head disdainfully, though her words were soft. “Your realm is but one of many.” 

Hades raised her scythe high above her, and the sky surrounding her began to disappear. As she watched Hades, Kassandra realized for the first time just how lonely an existence like hers must be, to be the ruler of a world that no one else, god or mortal, wanted to be a part of. 

She wanted to tell Hades she did not fear the Underworld anymore. She enjoyed working with Charon, helping the lost souls and meeting the loved ones she thought she’d never see again. In fact, she preferred the grim, barren lands any day to the superficial beauty of Elysium. This place could be cruel sometimes, but at least it was honest. 

“I will remember you, Kassandra." Hades held her gaze as she glided her scythe through the air, and the Underworld continued to dissolve around them. “If fate brings you back to me, I hope your eyes still carry that same fire.”

Kassandra swallowed, and before she could stop herself, she closed the space between them, meeting Hades’ lips. Hades’ arms reached instinctively around her, pulling Kassandra into a close embrace as they shared one last desperate kiss. 

“I will find this place again,” Kassandra said, when she finally pulled away. “When all this is over, I’ll come back for you. I promise.”

Hades lifted her scythe one last time. Kassandra noticed there were quiet tears streaming down the god's cheeks, though she gave no other indication she was crying. Even in her sorrow, Hades was beautiful.

With a solemn gaze, Hades imparted her final words. “Remember this, Kassandra. We all become prisoners of the worlds we are in.”

—

After everything was done, her time on earth at last nearing its end, Kassandra sought out Aletheia with one last request. Millennia had passed since she had taken the staff, and in that time Kassandra had begun to understand a little bit about what the gods meant about immortality. Certainly Aletheia’s warnings had not been wrong.

The Isu consciousness appeared to her as she waited in the Gateway for the heir to arrive. Kassandra looked up at her. “Aletheia… there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while,” she began. 

Aletheia’s voice was calm, but curious. “What is it, Keeper?”

“When I’m gone, is it possible for you to send me back to the Afterlife?”

Alethiea studied her, concern etching faintly into her features. “I’m afraid, Keeper, that was only a re-imagining of another place in another time.”

It had been the words Kassandra had been expecting, more or less. But she’d had millennia to consider her experience, and in that time she hadn’t found a satisfying explanation for what she had observed in the Underworld. It was interesting that the realm she had been to, while being a simulation, had itself been made by a replicated consciousness—the Aletheia she talked to was not the original Isu, and yet, in many ways, she was just as real. Could a simulated world not be the same?

“The last words Hades spoke to me… It almost seemed like she had a sense of being a prisoner there herself. She said that this world wasn’t any different from hers. That it was just one of many.”

Aletheia considered her words, her brow creasing slightly in thought. “Interesting. That is something I am not certain I can fully explain.” She looked at Kassandra. “But perhaps even a simulated world can be more than the sum of its parts.” 

Kassandra swallowed. She was not nervous about death. She hadn’t been for a long time now. But it did worry her that she might not be able to keep her promise. “Is there any way you can send me there, when all this is over? My soul, or essence, or whatever it is—even if it’s just a likeness of myself?”

Alethiea watched her for a calm moment. “After all you have done, Keeper, I think that is something I can manage. You may have your wish.”

Kassandra smiled, feeling a great weight lift off her. “Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.”

“It is the least I can do.”

With that settled, Kassandra found a place to wait for the heir, who, if everything had gone correctly, would soon appear. Her body felt light without the burden that had been weighing on her soul for millennia now. 

When death came for her, she knew she could finally rest.


End file.
